how close is heli flight realism on fms

[bob]

having never flown a model heli for real i want to hear from people who have, and can give me a comparison
between the sim and the real thing,i have been mostly
using the treedee with my tx .Also would there be any
benefit in buying a different /better sim and if so which one

[johnhlong]

I started with the Hughes heli and worked up to an add in higher performance heli.

I had my new helicopter checked out by a seasoned RC helicopter pilot.

Because of bad weather here I had about 1 month of stick time on the sim before it was clear enough to try my new Ergo 30SS Schweitzer.

I made the ring type training gear for it.

This is my first try at hovering a helicopter.
I now have 6 tanks of fuel through her and NO crashes. Just me and the helicopter, no trainers around.

I can fly her out about 100 feet and bring her bach. I can also climb her to about 50 feet and bring her back down saftly. Yesterday I flew (Hovered, hopped one way, flew all the way comming back) her all the way around my house!

Is it as real as it gets?? No but close enough that it is a GOOD trainer. I master each new step in learning to fly on the sim before I try it on my real helicopter.

Takes some of the thrill out of those close calls at the flying field, but has saved me a lot of money and sorrow.

My advice is to practice a lot of recovering from bad situations on the sim BEFORE you go off flying your new helicopter on your own. It's hard to let the new helicopter sit there while you play on the sim, but it pays off.

Lots of luck.

John Long
Seattle, WA
USA



(Edited by johnhlong at 7:42 pm on Dec. 29, 2001)


(Edited by johnhlong at 7:45 pm on Dec. 29, 2001)

[solo]

Could you please tell me more about your "ring type training gear". R there any design detail on the web?

Thanks.
Rgds

[johnhlong]

Basicly I took a 10 foot length (3 meters) of black flexable irrigation tubbing (about 5/8 in diam???).
This I bent into a circle (Came in at about 3 1/2 foot diamiter). and connected it to its self with an extention fitting. Got everything at Lowels Hardware.

I then took (3) 5/8" wooden dowels and made a three way cross and placed them in the ring to make spokes.

Then I tape this RING to the landing gear (using black electrical tape) of my heli before I fly.

Just put in 5 more tanks of fuel this weekend and still no crashes....... On day was in high winds just as a storm hit and I survived (actually had great fun with the heli being buffited around).

I will send you some pictures if you give me your E-Mail address.

John Long
Seattle, WA
USA
(425) 837-0802
johnhlong@yahoo.com

[kram66]

I practiced several hours of simulated hovering before trying it on a "real" Raptor 30. The FMS sim is definitely a great tool and I will give it credit for helping me learn.

The FMS sim is not the same as really flying, but niether are the PC instrument flight simulators pilots use for staying current.

Good computer flight simulators are definitely a good training tool and FMS is good.

[solo]

John,

thx for ur reply. please check ur message board for my email add.

Best wishes.

[bob]

just got back from my second time flying for real , first time out was kinda gusty hoppedy skips and jumps
with the odd bit of hovering thrown in no crashes though (thank you training gear) second time out very little wind hovering for whole tank of fuel and following
nexus around the field very very happy fms has been absolutly great for teaching me stick control to the point where reactions to heli where almost instinctive. A big thank you to all who replied and to the creators of fms